Twista

Carl Terrell Mitchell, known professionally as Twista, was born on November 27, 1973, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in the K-Town area of the West Garfield Park neighborhood and began rapping at the age of 12. In 1992, he gained recognition from Guinness World Records as the fastest English-speaking rapper, demonstrating his ability to pronounce 598 syllables in 55 seconds. His debut album, “Runnin’ Off at da Mouth,” was released in 1992 under the name Tung Twista. His planned second album, “Resurrection,” faced distribution issues in 1994, leading to limited national release.

A significant turning point in Twista’s career occurred in 1996 when he collaborated with Chicago producer The Legendary Traxster and the group Do or Die on the hit single “Po Pimp.” This success led to a record deal with Atlantic Records, and he released his third album, “Adrenaline Rush,” in 1997. This album marked his first appearance on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 77, and featured the Billboard Hot 100 hit “Get It Wet.” In 1998, he formed the group Speedknot Mobstaz, releasing their debut album “Mobstability.”

Twista achieved mainstream success with his 2004 album, “Kamikaze,” which reached the top spot on the U.S. Billboard 200. This album included the number-one single “Slow Jamz,” featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx. “Kamikaze” sold approximately two million copies. He continued to release successful albums such as “The Day After” in 2005, which featured singles “Girl Tonite” and “So Lonely.” In 2008, Twista founded his own record label, Get Money Gang Entertainment, and released “Category F5.” His career continued with albums like “The Perfect Storm” (2010), “Dark Horse” (2014), and “Crook County” (2017). Beyond music, Twista has engaged in community work and is a certified firearms instructor, advocating for responsible gun education.